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Picture a tapestry – a heavy cloth woven with decorative designs and pictures, often used as a wall hanging. It is usually a beautiful work of art, which you might see hanging in a museum or an art gallery. Within a tapestry, you will find some of the best material being used, such as: fine wool, silk, linen, various kinds of colors of threads, and many times they even use gold thread.

Well, God has been in the process of weaving a tapestry since He first spoke, “Let there be light.” He has taken great care, because His tapestry has divine purpose woven into each strand. Each one of us individually is a part of His tapestry. We are all different yet very unique.

Within a tapestry, you will find some of the stitches are worked in bold, vibrant colors with strong, thick yarn. Some are soft, muted shades. Some are pastels, light and fresh. Some of the needlework is fine, precisely sewn stitches using delicate threads.

Corporately, our God is weaving us together to create a self-portrait through which He can express Himself to His creation. That is his purpose in the earth: to have a people who will represent His image, His nature, and His Character, to those who are hurting, broken, lonely, without hope, and lost. God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1: 26-27)

Jesus said: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” (Luke 4: 18-19)

God’s heart is always toward the yet to be redeemed. If you would only allow his spirit to do a work of restoration in your lives — for those of you who have been saved. But to those of you who have never allowed the Savior to come into your life, you must do first things first — accept Him as your Lord and Savior. If we would do that, we will be better able to express His heart to the world.

God is trying to create a unique tapestry of each of our personal lives according to the design He had in mind when He created us. Ephesians 2:10 states that… “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” — The great problem is distortions!

For many of us the problem is that others have “woven” things into our lives as well — knowingly, or unknowingly — distorting and detracting from God’s original design for us.

Living from a distorted or damaged identity results in any number of issues ranging from unrealized potential to rational breakdown. Because our identity directly affects the way we relate to the world in which we live, it is essential that we understand places in us where wounds and hurts have distorted our self concept. We may be unaware of those areas. But if we are open to God working in our hearts, He can show us by the way we respond to life’s situations those places in us that need healing.

He wants to reveal to us His design, His plan, and His purpose for our lives so that we can be the distinctive individual He created us to be — “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord: — They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29: 11)

It has been said that the greatest gift an individual has to give is her difference from you. God is a God of diversity. He who made each snowflake different, has fashioned you specially and unlike anyone else. Just think of how boring a tapestry would be that was made with all the same colors, the same kind of thread, and uniform stitches!

What we all need is a healthy self-concept — our identity is a subject that affects ever aspect of our life.

Your identity or the way you perceive yourself in the context of your world; colors the hopes, dreams, goals, and desires for your life. Your identity is the greatest issue that affects your relationships: positively or negatively; with God, spouse, children, relatives, friends, and co-workers. An example or illustration — If, as a child you grew up with loving affirmation from your parents, your relationship with God (your heavenly Father) is more likely to be healthier than one who did not receive that from her family of origin.

In my conclusion, you may not know your true identity! There may be many distortions in your life (no true meaning or feeling out of shape — feelings of conflicting emotions — lacking a healthy self-concept — blinded by others opinion of you.)

We bring you good news tonight, you are being knitted in love by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter what opinions others have of you, our God sees you through the blood of his son — the blood cleanses us from our sin.

God loves you — He gave his son for you — He wants to give you real life — not one that you merely exist. He wants to give you peace, joy, love, and contentment. But the only way He can do what he wants to do — you must make a commitment to Him — you must surrender your will to His will.

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